Police took Takanori Maeoka, 31, the manager of Lucky Seventh, located in the Ueno area, for allowing customers to wager on 29 yongoki pachinko slot machines, which were outlawed in 2007 by a revision to the Law Regulating Adult Entertainment Businesses. The machines are known for large payouts.

Two male customers were also arrested.

Since November, Lucky Seventh collected 3.6 million yen in revenue each month.

Maeoka has reportedly admitted to the allegations. “Since I had no money I did it to earn an income,” the suspect is quoted by police.

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun (June 11), police have raided 40 similar operations in 15 administrative districts, including Tokyo, Osaka, and Kanagawa Prefecture, between 2010 and this year. Since 2007, officers have seized 1,552 illegal machines from underground parlors.

“Bankrupt and non-successful parlors wind up dumping their machines onto the market,” says a representative of the police. “These types of machines are popular with gamblers so they are in demand by illegal parlors.”